The article deals with some aspects of political and legal doctrine of Johannes Althusius, which served as a basis for the development of his original concept of federalism. The author analyses various types of associations, which are described in the key work of Althusius «Politica» (1603). Depending on their goals, objectives, and composition, associations are divided into private and public ones. According to this, the state is defined as a universal public association, which includes particular associations (cities and corporations). It is argued that the original concept of the «corporate social contract» is developed in the doctrine of Althusius.
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